


The Wreckage (I Need to Save You, But Who's Going To Save Me?)

by notalobster



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Horror, Character Death(s), Childhood Trauma, Emotional Manipulation, Gen, Implied/Referenced Violence, Major Character Injury, Mental Coercion, Mental Instability, Reunited and It Feels So Good, Survival Horror, Toxic Relationship, Unhappy Ending, Unhealthy Relationships, does this count as angst, if you played the au you get the gist, luwoo/woocas is implied only, the others appear at the very end briefly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-09
Updated: 2018-07-09
Packaged: 2019-06-07 22:58:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,154
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15229833
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/notalobster/pseuds/notalobster
Summary: Lucas knows what he has to do.or the NCT Labyrinth conclusion that absolutely no one wanted





	The Wreckage (I Need to Save You, But Who's Going To Save Me?)

**Author's Note:**

> This is the conclusion to my discontinued twitter AU/game "The Labyrinth". A small amount of people asked for the rest as a fic and while I wasn't planning on actually doing it,,,, here it is over a month later anyway.

He’s inside the surveillance room when Jungwoo comes in. Lucas had armed Jeno with his mace and sent the boy on his way after telling him how to get out of the maze safely. It took awhile for him to make his way to the building, but he knew this is where Jungwoo would come eventually. The multiple screens set up show him the worst scenes. On one Jisung limps away from somewhere as quickly as he can, eyes frantic and full of fear. On another a body lies unmoving on a path as Johnny, Kun and Ten stand over it. Out of three of them only Kun reacts, falling to his knees and taking Doyoung’s head into his lap as he cries. The computer on the far side of the room shows Sicheng fighting to keep Yuta in place despite the copious amount of blood pouring from his side.

Each screen a new horror. A freshly remembered face.

“Lucas?” Jungwoo calls from behind him. “Why are you-”

“Let them out, Woo.” Lucas can almost hear the flinch. He turns and finally faces Jungwoo, taking in the sight of him. The boy’s head is hung low to hide his face, figure tremoring nervously. One hand holds a medieval flail, blood covering the metal and dripping onto the floor. In his other hand hangs a crossbow - arrow notched and ready to fire. Lucas steps back instinctively and watches Jungwoo flinch at the movement. “Woo?” Jungwoo’s hands clench around the weapons in his hand as he raises his head. Lucas holds his breath.

But the eyes that stare at him are the same as they always have been.

Sad. Hopeful. Tired. Sick.

“Don’t call me Woo.”

Lucas crosses the short distance to stand in front of the older male in just a few short steps. He doesn’t think twice when he raises his arms and pulls Jungwoo close, cradling him against his chest. “Okay,” he replies. “I won’t.”

The weapons fall to the floor as Jungwoo returns the embrace.

* * *

 

Lucas tries to gives the boy his time but still eyes the screens in the room warily. Sicheng’s body had went limp quite some time ago and Yuta was heading towards the colosseum path where Ten and Johnny stood arguing as Kun attempted to carry Doyoung alone. Lucas had been pleased to see Jeno followed his words and found a way out, and Donghyuck and Mark had managed get out on their own. But Jaehyun and Taeyong were lost and heading in the wrong direction. Taeil could be safe for now, having met Lucas at the entrance and hidden in the elevator shaft, but there’s no way of telling if anything else was in there with him.

“Jungwoo?” he starts, looking down at his lap. The older had made himself at home there, curled up like a kitten with his head resting on one of Lucas’ legs. He hums in acknowledgement so Lucas continues, “Can you let them out now?” Jungwoo stills and sits up, turning to look Lucas in the eyes.

“Do I have to?”

Lucas blinks in disbelief but answers the question anyway. “Yes? I’d like it if you did. Please.”

Jungwoo’s expression changes and for the first time Lucas gets a glimpse at the side of him that he never got to see. The side that ordered bombings and kidnappings. The side that made a cult for fun.

The side that killed Chenle.

“Even if I call off the kids and disarm the traps, they’d have to find their way out themselves. I don’t see the point.” In a flash Jungwoo’s expression changes again, going back 

to the boy that was Lucas’ best friend. “But I’ll do that, if you want me to.” Lucas nods in response and stands, Jungwoo doing the same. They exit the room and climb to a higher floor using the stairs, stopping at a door labeled _CONTROL ROOM_. Jungwoo enters, pulling Lucas behind him and sits in a chair in front of a panel in the room. He presses a series of buttons, flicks a few switches and keys something into the central computer. The movements mean nothing to Lucas but he watches as Jungwoo’s shoulders fall in defeat.

“Okay. I did it.” Jungwoo swirls to Lucas once more, smiling broadly. Fakely. “Can we go back to cuddling now?”

Lucas manages a laugh - a genuine one for the first time since weeks before he’d awoken in the maze. “In a little bit.” He gestures over his shoulder at to the door, “Can I help everybody out real quick? It’ll only ta-”

“You’re going to leave me too aren’t you?” The smile has left his face, and his head is hung once more. “That’s okay. I deserve it, I guess.” Jungwoo stands and heads for the door, passing Lucas entirely. Lucas isn’t sure if he was meant to hear the words that were mumbled on his way out, but he does.

_ “Everyone always leaves me in the end anyway.” _

* * *

 

There’s tears silently falling down his face when he carries Chenle on his back. Taeil had found him in a room at the bottom of the shaft, pinned to a table like a science experiment. He knows what Jungwoo would’ve done with the body but he pushes that thought from his mind and replaces it with happier ones.

They’d finally be able to give one of their youngest friends a funeral.

Taeil and him find their brothers along the way. It takes some time, the maze is massive and he has no way of telling where the others are but they do, and the reunion is a brief celebration. Everyone remembers one another once they’re all together. Johnny shakes as he explains to the others that he had to kill Yuta to protect Ten and Kun. Jaehyun pulls him into an embrace and allows the taller man to cry on his shoulder. Jisung recounts the story of Winwin coming to his rescue, making Taeil dash off to find him. Lucas doesn’t have the heart to tell him that it’s too late. Instead he passes Chenle’s body to Taeyong and speaks.

“Wait for Taeil. There’s a bunch of statues and plaques in here. If you find ones related to fire, animals or the name ‘Hestia’ take those. They’ll get you out of here.”

“How do you know that?”

“Okay.”

“Who’s Hestia?”

“Where are you going?”

More questions come nonstop but Lucas just laughs them off and gives a smile so unnoticeably fake that he knows Jungwoo would be proud. “I’ll be fine. Trust me.” He stares at the building that can just barely be seen over the walls of the hedges. Jungwoo is probably watching them now, seeing everyone huddled together without him. A broken family that he used to be part of. The family that he broke with his own two hands.

Lucas answers the final question only.

“I’m going home.”

  
  



End file.
